Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Wales Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Griffiths Excerpts
Wednesday 4th March 2015

(9 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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I have been very clear. I have said, “Get on with the debates before the election campaign,” and I think we should start now.

Andrew Griffiths Portrait Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)
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I bring the House good news. For the first time in 10 years British beer sales are up. The Campaign for Real Ale said the Chancellor’s scrapping of Labour’s hated beer duty escalator and two cuts in beer duty have saved 1,050 pubs. The Sun newspaper, which champions Britain’s beer drinkers, says today that the Chancellor is poised to repeat the cuts. Will the Prime Minister join me in assuring beer drinkers that this Government are on the side of publicans and on the side of British brewers, and will he urge the Chancellor to have a third cut?

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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I praise my hon. Friend for the work he has done to support the beer industry, to support Britain’s pubs and to stand up for our local communities where the pub is so often the hub of the village and the community. This Government have been a good friend of Britain’s pubs and the beer industry. I am delighted with the figures my hon. Friend read out. It always goes to show that life’s better under the Conservatives.